Chronic diarrhea causes
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Chronic diarrhea Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Omodamola Aje B.Sc, M.D. [2]
Overview
Depending on the socio economic status of the population, chronic diarrhea can be caused by several factors. In a developing nation, the most likely causes of chronic bacteria include; mycobacterial and parasitic infections and less likely to include functional disorders such as malabsorption and inflammatory bowel diseases. In a developed nation however, the most likely cause of diarrhea include; irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndromes (such as lactose intolerance and celiac disease), and chronic infections (particularly in patients who are immunocompromised).
Life threatening causes
Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.
There are no life-threatening causes of chronic diaarrhea, however complications resulting from untreated chronic diarrhea is common.
Common causes
- Malabsorption:
- Cystic fibrosis,
- Celiac disease,
- Disaccharidase deficiency
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease:
- Microscopic colitis
- Gastrointestinal infections;
- Anatomic abnormalities;
- Intussusception,
- Hirschsprung disease (± toxic megacolon)
- Partial bowel obstruction,
- Blind loop syndrome (also in patients with dysmotility),
- Intestinal lymphangiectasis,
- Short gut syndrome.
- Immunodeficiency;
- Severe combined immunodeficiencies and other genetic disorders,
- HIV
- Endocrine diarrhea:
- Addison disease,
- carcinoid tumors,
- Vipoma,
- gastrinoma (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome),
- mastocytosis or increased motility (
- hyperthyroidism
- Giardiasis: Patients presents with excess gas, steatorrhea (malabsorption). Giardia fecal antigen test is diagnostic.
- Infectious enteritis or colitis (diarrhea not associated with C. difficile):
- Miscellaneous;
- Antibiotic-associated diarrhea,
- pseudomembranous colitis,
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome,
- neonatal drug withdrawal
Drugs that commonly cause diarrhea[1]
- Gastrointestinal drugs
- Magnesium containing antacids
- Laxatives
- Cisapride
- Olsalazine
- Cardiac drugs
- Antibiotics
- Chemotherapeutic agents
- Hypolipidemic agents
- Neuropsychiatric drugs
- Others
References
- ↑ Branski D, Lerner A, Lebenthal E (1996). "Chronic diarrhea and malabsorption". Pediatr Clin North Am. 43 (2): 307–31. PMID 8614603.